Chandigarh Civil Hospitals' 1st chemist shop gets functional in Sector 22

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, January 4

In a first, a chemist shop has opened at a UT Civil Hospital. It was univeiled at the facility in Sector 22. The move is aimed at facilitating patients who have to visit outlets at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, for purchase of medicines at controlled rates. This will also help stem fleecing of patients by chemist shops outside the facility.

The Health Department is on course to opening a chemist shop each at the Civil Hospitals of Mani Majra and Sector 45. Yash Pal Garg, Health Secretary, says: “Another chemist shop at the Civil Hospital, Mani Majra, will open next week and bidding process for the one at the Sector 45 hospital is on.”

The department had recently opened three more chemist shops at the GMSH-16, including a Jan Aushadhi store. This was done to break the monopoly of a sole chemist, who had been running the shop for the past 29 years on the premises of the district hospital.

This has been done to allow patients to purchase medicines from elsewhere, even in late hours, instead of relying on a single shop. These chemist shops will run round the clock.

Will stem fleecing

• Move will help stem fleecing of patients by chemist shops outside facility and let them buy medicines at controlled rates
• The Health Department had recently opened three more chemist shops at the GMSH-16 to break monopoly of a sole chemist
• This has given patients the option to purchase medicines elsewhere, even during late hours, instead of relying on a single pharmacy store